Construction of a nearly $4.5-million, 120-bed nursing home in Bucks County also was approved by the department.

A department spokesman said yesterday that the Upper Bucks Nursing and Convalescent Center of Quakertown has been granted approval to build a new nursing home in Milford Township.

The $4.46-million project will involve replacing two existing facilities, licensed for 56 and 41 beds, with a new facility having a capacity of 120 beds.

The local projects, the department said, were approved locally by local health planning boards.

The review of the projects is required by a state law that mandates that a certificate of need be granted for facilities seeking to change services, their bed complements or to make large capital expenditures.